Grey's Anatomy

The Self-Destruct Button

Season 1, Episode 7, Aired 5/8/05

Episode Summary

Derek and Meredith try (unsuccessfully) to be discreet as they spend the night together at Meredith's house, but their haggard appearance speaks volumes to everyone - including Bailey, who warns Meredith to end the relationship. Meanwhile, George suspects an anesthesiologist of drinking on the job but is reluctant to speak up about it, Alex treats a former competitor who now finds honor in self-mutilation, Izzie has to deal with a patient who won't let go of his girlfriend - literally, and Cristina seems to be battling a case of the flu.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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Ellen Pompeo

Meredith Grey
Sandra Oh

Cristina Yang
Katherine Heigl

Isobel "Izzie" Stevens

Fan Episode Reviews (9)

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Drinking on the job; not a good idea.

7.5

"Good"

By Valentine_76, Feb 20, 2011 Report Abuse

This episode had a story line in it that really bothered me. When George thinks that he smells alcohol on the anesthesiologist he becomes unsure of what to do next. I love the fact that he stood up for the patient (a little girl) and asked the anesthesiologist if he'd been drinking, even though he got in trouble by Derek. The sad thing, unfortunately, is that George is correct about the guy being drunk. He actually fell asleep during the operation and the little girl started waking up, which really upset Derek. If that had been my daughter, I would have been furious. The idea of waking up during surgery freaks me out.moreless

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This episode was really good and funny.

9.5

"Superb"

By Stephanie61593, Aug 29, 2010 Report Abuse

This show just keeps getting better and better with every new episode. In this episode Izzy and George find out who Meredith is going out with. Izzy is a little bit jealous and think Meredith is getting special treatment. George is a bit disappointed because he thinks Derek is playing with Meredith. Alex gets to connect with a patient who likes pain, but the patient ends up dying and it does kind of hit hard with Alex. I really like how Derek handled the little girl's surgery and thought it was very nice of him to tell George that he was sorry and that he wasn't playing with Meredith. And Bailey really doesn't want these two together. So is Cristina pregnant?! It sure seemed like she is.moreless

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It's another great installment with unforgetable storylines and scenes.

9.3

"Superb"

By martooo_m, Aug 29, 2010 Report Abuse

The episode is so amazing because all of the storylines are connected and make another perfect episode that is worth watching and remembering.
Meredith and Derek have sex in Meredith's apartmen but even trying to hide it,everyone realizes and hears them.That causes Izzie to tell Meredith that she thinks taht she is the best intern because of her relationship with Derek.
George suspects a doctor drinking on the job and has difficulties with revealing it to the others.
Alex treats a former schoolmate who finds honor in self-mutilation.
Izzie has to deal with a patient who won't let his girlfriend go, literally.
Cristina seems to be battling a case of the flu which reveals its true nature with a couple of positive pregnancy tests.
A great episode with scene that i will enever forget such as the fight between Meredith and Izzie,the first time Alex showing his heart and soul and the dramatic side of his character-a truly character development for him and the pregnancy of Cristina.moreless

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She's falling for him

9.7

"Superb"

By mythillos, Aug 29, 2010 Report Abuse

George and Izzy see Shepherd as he lives their house in the morning, after a great night with Meredith, so they have a grudge on her. A girl comes in the hospital that's got something with her brain and Shepherd has to cut half of it. While getting ready for surgery, George asks the anaisthetist if he'd been drinking causing him to lose the opportunity to take part in the surgery, but later on while still in surgery that guy falls asleep and the girl almost woke up. Shepherd apologises to George and tells him that he's not using or favoring Meredith.
Alex treats a guy that is a mazochist veteran wresler, like him, who likes to put bullets in his arm. He finally dies from an infection from a recent tattoo on his leg.
A freshman in college comes in that stapled her stomach in order to get fit so Bailey and Meredith undid it and her mother (who is a b**ch) was visited by social services.moreless

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Izzie and George find out about Derick & Meredith. How will they take it?

9.5

"Superb"

By shaneypoo_88, Aug 29, 2010 Report Abuse

So how do they take it... not very well. Derick sneeks out of the house afer a night of very loud sex with Meredith, but George and Izzie see him leaving. Izzie thinks Meredith is trying to win over Derick because he has an influence on how the interns get ranked. George want's to give Meredith a little bit of doubt, but not much.

Dr Bailey has a go at Dr Shepard for favouring Meredith, letting her scrub in with him for plenty of surgery's. Derick takes a backflip and goes off at Meredith in front of Bailey for no reason and takes her off the surgery. George picks up the crumbs and he gets the surgery.

Alex gets a gunshot victim in the hospital and it turns out he is a pain junky who got his buddy to shoot him so he could get some cool scars. They have something in common as they were both wrestlers from Ohio.

Izzie gets a very annoying couple to deal with. The guy has swallowed his girlfriends car keys so she can't leave him. Meanwhile Cristina is having a tough time feeling ill.

During Geroge's surgery he swears he smells alcohol on Dr. Taylor's breath but doesn't say anything. George and Shepard work on a small girl who needs brain surgery and get half of her brain removed. Dr. Taylor is apart of the surgery again and when he brings up the fact that he thinks Taylor has been drinking, he gets kicked out and Cristina is brought in.

Meanwhile Izzie kicks up a stink with Meredith about her and Dr Shepard. Dr Bailey tells Meredith she needs to end the relationship.

During the surgery on the young girl Dr. Taylor falls asleep at a crucial moment. Dr Shepard kicks his out of the Operating Room.

Later Shepard apologizes to George for kicking him out of tehe surgory and congratulates him for being right.

Alex loses his gun shot patient and Izzie removes the keys from the crazy boyfriend. The episode ends with Cristina in the bathroom with a pregnancy test that shows she is pregnant.

A great episode all together. Loved that George standed up for what he believed in. The conflict with Izzie and Meredith was great and what a shock from Cristina. Is it Burke, it has to be. Can't wait to find out.

9.5/10moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Goof (editing continuity): When Jamie, the girl with the brain abnormality, is being examined by George, it is obvious that the shot of the twitching leg is not actually Jamie. Although they have the same purple socks and dipaer, when you see the leg you can also clearly tell that the child has no shirt on, while in the next shot Jamie is wearing a shirt. There is an adult hand holding the hand of the child in the leg-twitching shot, but Jamie's hands are in her lap a second later. Edit
- Goof (storyline continuity): In this episode, Izzie is overwhelmed when she finds out about Meredith sleeping with Derek; nonetheless, in the pilot episode, when Cristina is mad at Meredith she yells at her how she slept with her boss, and Izzie is present in the conversation, so, she would already have to know about Meredith's fling. Edit
- Goof (editing continuity): When Cristina is turning around to look at the observation window in surgery, she has her head turned half way up, the camera angle shifts, and it is suddenly back down again and turns all the way again. Edit
Notes
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- Although credited, James Pickens, Jr. (Richard Webber) is absent from this episode. Edit
- Original International Air Dates: Australia: September 19th, 2005 on Channel 7 Sweden: January 3rd, 2006 on Kanal 5 Netherlands: February 14th, 2006 on Net 5 Germany: April 25th, 2006 on ProSieben Croatia: October 16th, 2006 on NOVA TV Finland: October 18th, 2006 on Nelonen Portugal: December 10th, 2006 on RTP1 Romania: February 20th, 2007 on TVR1 Serbia: February 2nd, 2008 on B92 Edit
- Music Featured In This Episode: 1. Downtown by Tegan and Sara plays when Izzie and Meredith argue in the locker-room, 2. Hummingbird by Wilco is the one played at the end of this episode, 3. Suitcase by Joe Purdy plays while Alex's patient dies, 4. Wish I by Jem plays at the beginning of this episode. Edit
Quotes
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- Derek: Let me explain. George: It's fine. Derek: No, there is a code among doctors. We're not supposed to ask each other questions, not within the walls of this hospital. George: Okay, I was out of line. Derek: No, you weren't. I was. I was out of line. Somebody should have taken responsibility. It should have been the guy doing the cutting. It should have been me. You didn't deserve what happened to you today. You did the right thing code or no code. (extends his hand for George to shake, George hesitates then shakes his hand) You saw me leave the house this morning, didn't you? George: Oh, was that you? Derek: Hmm. I'm not using her. And I don't favor her. George: She's pretty great, you know. Derek: Mm-hmm. So, come on, lets go tell Jamie's parents she's gonna be fine, barring any complications.
  Edit
- Meredith: I need a shower. Bailey: I need a shower. You need to go tell that girl's parents what kind of kid they're getting back. Meredith: You're not gonna let me shower first? Bailey: That would be a hoop, would it not? Meredith: It would qualify. Bailey: Shower first, then.
  Edit
- George: Hey, hey, hey. Have you seen Shepherd? Izzie: Not as up close as Meredith has. George: What? Are you trying to get her in trouble? She's our friend. Izzie: George, this program will make or break our careers. Some of us will make it through, and some of us won't. And that decision depends entirely on recommendations from doctors like Shepherd. There is a reason we don't sleep with the attendings. George: It's not her fault, okay. It's Shepherd's. He's the attending, he should know better. He's taking advantage of her. Izzie: It didn't exactly sound like anything was happening against her will last night.
  Edit
Allusions
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- Episode Title: The Self Destruct Button The title of the episode is a reference to a song. The Self Destruct Button is title of an AC/DC song. It is also a song by Dana Monteith. Edit